Due to the increased numbers and mobility of elderly drivers in most industrialised countries, there has been a growing concern to assure the fitness of elderly drivers. Therefore many countries have introduced additional re-licensing requirements like vision tests, medical check-ups, or on-road driving tests for all drivers from a certain age on (most often 70 years). From a scientific point of view there is no indication that age-based screening of elderly drivers improves road safety. Although a good number of studies from Europe, Canada, and Australia have investigated this effect in the last decade, no effect of increased safety was found. On the contrary there are indications that the measure might have two unwanted side-effects: (1) increased accident risk per licensed driver, and (2) an increase of pedestrian fatality rate. However, studies from the United States indicate that obliging drivers to appear in person for licence renewal, rather than allowing re-licensing on-line or per mail has a beneficial effect on the number of fatal crashes involving elderly drivers. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting